The present invention was borne out of frustration with the cost and inefficiency of the airlines' hub-and-spoke transportation model. This model was conceived by the airline industry, initially in an attempt to restrain passengers from using interline transfers to arrive at their destinations. It requires dense concentrations of passengers both at the relatively few hub facilities and in ever larger aircraft flying to fewer and fewer destinations. The inefficiencies for the traveler arise out of the time wasted traveling long distances from their true origin to the large hub or major airport, enduring the lengthy lines at check-in and security check points, and the ever-longer boarding process on the ever larger aircraft. In addition, the traveler must often fly to cities that are well out of the way to his final destination, and transfer with additional wasted connection times. The result is that for short trips (approximately 500 miles) average speeds reduce to the vicinity of 100 mph, and many longer trips that involve just one connection drop to 200 to 300 mph average. This inefficiency raises costs for the consumer, especially where the inefficiencies require overnight stays in order to catch connecting flights. There is an additional factor which is a disadvantage of the current hub and spoke system. The current system creates large concentrations of people, both at terminals and in ever larger aircraft, that create prime targets for terrorist activity. Larger numbers of much smaller aircraft operating in a widely distributed transportation system would present a more difficult target for any significant military or terrorist activity.
Clearly, there are compelling reasons for wanting an air transportation system that is economically superior to our current air transportation system in acquisition, operation and maintenance costs. To be a viable competitor, the system should have true origin to true destination speeds that significantly exceed current system speeds. It should require no additional infrastructure, and it should package passengers in small enough units that both the passenger load and the aircraft are militarily insignificant targets. To be truly competitive, it should provide non-stop transcontinental and intercontinental travel from any local airport to any other local airport. And ticket prices should be highly competitive with current average ticket prices.
Such a transportation system requires a unique aircraft. It must be capable of operation from any current airfield. Preferably, it would have operating costs well below current costs and competitive with commercial airliners, cruise at higher system speed than current commercial aircraft, have a longer range with full passenger and luggage load than most current business aircraft, provide passenger comfort comparable to commercial aircraft, and be capable of all-weather operation. The plane should also provide for ease of maintenance and require only a single pilot.